1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus for developing a light sensitive material, in particular a photographic processing apparatus that makes allowance for replenishment of an evaporated part of a developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In carrying out developing with a photographic processing apparatus, after exposure a light sensitive material is inserted into a tank filled with a developer and then fed to at least one of a desilverisation tank (bleaching, fixing, etc.) a washing tank and a stabilizing tank.
At the time of transport of the light sensitive material to the next process treatment tank from the developing tank, developer attached to the light sensitive material is carried out of the developing tank and the developer in the developing tank is deteriorated due to contact of the same with air. For these reasons, a predetermined amount of replenishment solution must be added to the developing tank. In addition to this, the developer temperature is generally maintained at a predetermined temperature which is higher than the outside temperature in order to maintain a predetermined developing efficiency, consequently evaporation rate is increased. An operator must therefore keep checking to see whether or not are developer surface is maintained in a constant level range, and supply replenishment water as the developer evaporates. In general since a replenishment amount of the replenishment water is generally 20 to 300 ml per day, the replenishment is troublesome for the operator, and also, if there is a large drop in the developer surface level, a change in the developer concentration can arise causing a deterioration in the developing capacity of the developer.
In particular, when the developer is a color developer containing a p-phenylenediamines color developing agent which is an aromatic primary amine (for example, N-ethyl-N-(.beta.-methane sulfone amido ethyl)-3-methyl-4-aminoaniline, 4-(N-ethyl-N-.beta.-hydroxyethylamino)-2-methyl aniline, etc.), an occurrence of a photographic fog is likely and also changes of photographic qualities occur easily especially in accordance with an enrichment of the developer. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method of preventing changes in concentration of the developer.
It is an object of the present invention, taking the above into consideration, to provide a photographic processing apparatus that can accurately estimate the amount of evaporation from the surface of the developer and replenish the developing tank with water.